Injured Rooney retains No 9

SVEN-Goran Eriksson has submitted his 23-man England squad to FIFA for the World Cup finals.

It is a list of the same names Eriksson unveiled last week, with the first 11 numbers going to what is recognised as his first-choice team.

This includes Wayne Rooney, who will wear the number nine shirt even though he is currently out with a broken foot and battling to be fit for the tournament.

Eriksson can still replace injured players up to 24 hours before England’s first Group B game against Paraguay, in Frankfurt, on June 10.

Surprise selection Theo Walcott has been handed the number 23 shirt.

Walcott, who is only 17 and yet to play a Premiership game, joined his new international team-mates for the first time today.

Eriksson and his players met to fly from Luton to Portugal where they will spend five days at a training camp.

There were five players missing from the party.

Arsenal duo Sol Campbell and Ashley Cole have stayed with the Gunners because of the Champions League final against Barcelona tomorrow night.

Walcott has been left out of the Arsenal squad by boss Arsene Wenger, who reached an agreement with Eriksson.

Wenger decided the teenager was unlikely to play in the Stade de France because strikers Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Jose Reyes and Robin van Persie were all ahead of him in the pecking order.

Steven Gerrard was also given permission to miss the training camp in the Algarve.

Gerrard suffered bad cramp in Saturday’s FA Cup final after a long hard season which started last July for Liverpool in the Champions League first qualifying round.

The midfielder has been given the week off to rest and spend some time with his new daughter.

Skipper David Beckham will join his England team-mates on Wednesday after Real Madrid’s final game of the season.

Rooney has stayed in England for intensive treatment on his foot injury.

Eriksson does not expect the United striker to join the squad until he is ready to train with a football.

England’s 23-man squad: Goalkeepers: Robert Green (Norwich), David James (Manchester City), Paul Robinson (Tottenham).

Defenders: Wayne Bridge (Chelsea), Jamie Carragher (Liverpool), Sol Campbell, Ashley Cole (both Arsenal), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), Gary Neville (Manchester United), John Terry (Chelsea).

Midfielders: David Beckham (Real Madrid, captain), Michael Carrick (Tottenham), Joe Cole (Chelsea), Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Owen Hargreaves (Bayern Munich), Jermaine Jenas (Tottenham), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham).

Forwards: Peter Crouch (Liverpool), Michael Owen (Newcastle), WayneRooney (Manchester United), Theo Walcott (Arsenal).

Standby: Scott Carson (Liverpool), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham), Andrew Johnson (Crystal Palace), Nigel Reo-Coker (West Ham), Luke Young (Charlton).